In brief
Al Jazeera reports that Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s Belgorod region, killing three people and causing power cuts in Ukraine and Crimea. Russian officials claimed they destroyed drones and targeted energy infrastructure, while Ukrainian leaders highlighted damage to a network of substations. The incident underscores the escalating cross‑border strikes as winter approaches.
Three people were killed in Russia’s Belgorod region when Ukrainian drones struck a residential area on Wednesday, Al Jazeera reported, citing local Russian authorities.
The strikes also caused power outages in multiple Ukrainian cities and across Russian‑occupied Crimea, the outlet added.
Al Jazeera noted that Russian officials claimed they had destroyed Ukrainian drones and targeted energy infrastructure, though Ukrainian officials confirmed damage to power generation facilities and substations across nine regions.
Russian Defence Ministry confirmed on Telegram that it had struck two power stations in Ukraine’s Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions, an assertion that was also reported by the outlet.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow’s overnight attacks damaged power generation facilities and substations in nine regions, leaving emergency outages in many cities.
Residents in Kyiv’s capital were urged to use public drinking water fountains as hours‑long power and water outages cut off supply; emergency centres offering hot tea and power points to charge devices were set up in the worst‑hit areas.
In Crimea, Russia’s Ministry of Energy said the Ukrainian strikes hit energy infrastructure overnight and that temporary outage schedules were in force, though it did not disclose how many households were affected.
Al Jazeera added that reports also indicated that Russia‑held Crimea ordered power cuts after an accident outside the region, according to a Moscow‑installed official cited by Reuters.
The incidents come as Russian attacks on critical infrastructure have increased as temperatures drop before winter, a trend the outlet highlighted.
Al Jazeera’s coverage is based on statements from local authorities and Russian and Ukrainian officials, with no independent verification yet of the number of drones destroyed or the full extent of the damage.
